In the name of honour
by HoganTime
Summary: COMPLETE A German General posesses information about the Hammelburg Underground network. The Heroes are ordered to assassinate the General, when suddenly a mission turns personal.
1. It´s in the name

I ddo not own Hogans Heroes or any of the characters appearing in the original show, however the characters of George Hogan and Thomas Hogan are mine. I´d like to thank everybody for the reviews on my stories so far.

* * *

"Colonel, message from London.".

Hogans head turned towards the door and he asked, as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes:

"Kinch, what´s it about?".

Kinch shook his head. "I don´t know sir, it´s coded.".

Hogan frowned.

"What could be so important to have it coded and sent in the middle of the night?".

"I don´t know sir, you´d better decode it fast, they said it was very important information.".

Hogan nodded and Kinch walked outside.

Thirty minutes later, Hogan appeared at the door of his office, waving his men inside.

Kinch could not help but notice the worried look that had appeared in Hogans eyes. His shoulders were slightly bowed, as if a heavy weight was pulling him downwards.

Inside the office, Hogan straightened and put up his command façade.

"At ease, gentlemen.".

There was no need to say this. Newkirk and Carter already stood leaning against the wall and Kinch and LeBeau were leaning against Hogans bed.

A faint smile hushed over Hogans face as he realized the uselessness of this order.

For a moment, he stood silent, trying to arrange his thoughts, but Carter could not stand the suspense and blurted out:

"Colonel, what was that message from London about?".

Hogan sighed and rubbed his temples, to fight the headache that had come up with reading the message.

"This message did not only concern us, but a whole bunch of other people to. There is a German general, who was promoted recently. He goes by the name Jörg Hochman and was promoted because of his skill for detecting Underground agents and blowing Underground networks. Word has reached British intelligence, that he now has discovered the Underground around Hammelburg, including us here. He knows, that there is an operation in this camp, but he does not know the names of any of us. However, with his knowledge of the Underground network he can do lots of damage to the Underground here and he will most likely find out who we are as well. London says, that we need to find out where this general is and then we have to assassinate him immediately.".

"But mon Colonel, how are we supposed to stop that filthy Boche? And above all, ´e will not be working alone, ´e will ´ave informed more people of the presence of the Underground ´ere.".

Hogan nodded. "On this point, we are lucky. The General is a very ambitious man. He will not share vital information with other Generals, to make sure nobody uses his information to get the glory he thinks he deserves.".

"Guv´nor are you sure about this?".

Hogan shook his head. "I´m sure about him being ambitious. The rest I made up, to be honest...".

"Oh great. But sir, ´ow can ya let us stay ´ere, while we might ´ave been discovered already? Why don´t we ´ead out?".

"Because Newkirk, there are more lives at stake than only ours. We need to do what we can and maybe we can stay in the business despite everything. We need to wait and act when the time comes."

Finally, Kinch spoke up.

"Colonel, what are we going to do then?".

"First, we need to get word to the Underground. They must hide as best as they can. Ask them if they can give us any information about this General and what he knows about us, meanwhile, I´ll think of the rest."

_I hope._ A small voice said in Hogans head. There was more to this General than he had told them, but the rest would come in time.

Kinch watched him carefully as he walked outside.

_He knows, he knows that I haven´t told them who that General really is._

**

* * *

Later that evening**

Hogan stopped pacing as he heard a soft knock on his door, followed by the entrance of Kinch. Was he overreacting or was Kinchs face a bit paler than usual?

"Colonel, message from the Underground they´ll hide until further notice. And, sir-".

Kinch stopped talking as he noticed the anxiety in Hogans face. "Sir?"

"Yes, Kinch, continue.".

"They have sent information about the General as well. One of the Underground leaders near Munich works for the Abwehr and has sent us the complete file of the General. This includes a course of life, information about his closest relatives and, his real name...".

Hogan nodded. Kinch noticed the sudden pallor in Hogans face and the uncertain tone of his voice when he spoke.

"Kinch, I did not want to tell you guys, until we knew more about the threat he is posing to us and his importance to the Third Reich. It is difficult to let a General vanish, without having a perfect alibi for every person involved. What they´ll ignore when a private disappears, they´ll look at when a General disappears.".

Kinch placed his hand upon Hogans shoulder. "Sir, I understand, but I think the guys should know about this.".

Hogan nodded. "They should, Kinch, because they need to understand why I might have problems completing this mission the way London wants it."

"The assassination bit?".

"Exactly that one.".

Kinch walked outside and called the others.

* * *

**Five minutes later**

"What´s up Colonel? Do you need some explosives? Can we blow up something? The General? His car?".

Newkirk slapped Carters hat down onto his head. "Carter can´t ya see the guv´nor wants to tell us somethin´ important? Just keep your mouth shut, for once.".

Hogan smiled at the bickering to which he had gotten used in all those years, all those years of friendship, but also all those years of responsibility for these men, who were now in danger due to that one General. The General he knew more about...

"I need to tell you something considering the General mentioned in the message from London. But first, I want to play a little word game with you.".

Everybody looked at him questioningly. A word game?

"Okay, does everybody remember the name of the General?".

Carter, enthusiastic about the idea of a game jumped in. "It was Jörg Hochman, wasn´t it?".

Hogan nodded.

"Now, take that name and replace the letters "chm" bij a "g".".

Newkirk was the first to understand.

"Guv´nor do you mean that he?".

Hogan turned towards him. "Yes, Newkirk, his real name is not Jörg Hochman, but George Hogan. He is a brother of mine and a member of the German army.".

Kinch looked questioningly at Hogan. "Sir, you said that he was in the German army, but for that he has to be a German citizen. How-".

He was cut off by Hogan. "My father was an Irish test pilot for new fighter planes in the US. My mother was born in Germany and lived there. In 1893, my father came over to Germany for a short holiday. There, he met my mother and they fell in love. They married in 1897 and my mother moved to Connecticut. In 1899 George was born. I was born in 1907. Just after the First World War, in 1919 my fathers plane crashed during a test flight and he was killed instantly. My mother saw no reason in staying in the US and we moved to Germany. In 1922, my mother married again and I got another brother, Tom. George wanted to go to the army, but could not, because he was still American. After a few years he changed his nationality and joined the Wehrmacht. This was in 1929. In I had completed school and was studying mathematics at university when in 1933, Hitler became Reichskanzler.".

Hogan was interrupted by Carter. "In 1933? But then you were already 26, studying would only take about 5 years, why didn´t you complete your study before then?".

Hogan smiled. "When we came over in 1919 I was twelve years old and should have gone to the seventh class in Germany. The problem was that I could not speak German, so they put me in the sixth class. Still, I could not manage and had to do the year again. When I finally came into the seventh class, I had to redo that one again, because I simply lost the joy in going to school, because certain subjects kept reminding me of my father. Besides flying planes, he was also mad with biology and music and I simply could not bear to go to those classes. Finally I got a grip onto myself and managed to finish school at the age of 21. After that, I worked for two years, because my mother could not find a job and we needed money. Finally, she started to work again and George went to the army, earning money there, so I could go and study."

Carter was still curious. "Jeez, Colonel, but why mathematics, I mean I was always rubbish at mathematics and always thought that it was only for nerds and really weird people.".

Hogan smiled. "Thanks Carter.".

Carter reddened with embarrassment, but before he could start excusing Hogan continued.

"Why mathematics? I guess it was always the problem solving thing in mathematics that attracted me, the way you had to devise strategies to come up with the solution, basically its nothing else than we do here.".

Kinch patted him on the shoulder. "Colonel, the General.".

"Ah, yes, the General. When Hitler became Reichskanzler, my mother and I returned to the US, but my brother George did not want to come with us. He was convinced that what Hitler was doing was the right thing. After a lot of discussion, we left him behind and fled to my step dad´s home country, the US. There, instead of continuing my studies, I joined the AirForce, flew with the RAF planes as a neutral observer and when I became fed up with sitting back and watching, I joined the RAF and began flying bombing raids. With the US entering the war, I joined the Airforce.".

"Jeez, Colonel that´s a complicated story. Irish father, German mother, American step dad. But what does this mean for our mission?".

Newkirk sighed and rolled his eyes. "This means, that we ´ave a massive problem, because London wants the Colonel to assassinate his own brother, while his own brother is hunting down him and everything he´s fighting for.".

Kinch interrupted Newkirk. "What I don´t understand, Colonel, why has your brother changed his name?".

Hogan sighed. "He heard of me and my reputation as a fighter pilot. As I said, he is a follower of the Nazi´s, or at least he was when I last met him. Of course, a Nazi does not want to be associated with someone who is fighting for the enemy. He wanted to hide his family bonds with me.".

Kinch said nothing as he saw the hurt look in Hogans eyes. Then, the pain was replaced by determination.

"Guys, whatever we are going to do during this mission, keep in mind why we are doing this. Dismissed.".

Everybody left, knowing that the Colonel would need time alone.

* * *

**Two hours later**

A soft knock at the door made Hogan jump up from his sitting position at the table. Kinch came in and seated himself on the lower bunk.

"Colonel, I do not want to force you into something, but would you like to talk?".

Hogan shook his head.

_I can not show them my weakness. I am their commander. Officers must remain calm, they-_

"Colonel, I think you need to talk. It hurt you, did it that George changed his name?".

Hogan remained silent.

_It did and more than I would like to admit. Damn George, we grew up together, you are my brother._

Aloud he said. "It is the war.".

Kinch nodded.

_The war takes more than lives, it takes families, without killing them._


	2. Big Brother is watching you

Thanks for the reviews to everybody and have fun with the next chapter ;-)

* * *

_  
_

_Three steps, turn, three steps, turn, three steps, turn._

Hogan was pacing in his quarters, trying to come up with a solution to his problems, but every plan seemed to end in a similar way, a way which he would like to avoid at all costs.

Memories overthrew his common sense, forced their way into his mind and persuaded him to not follow the order from London.

He saw the two of them sitting in their makeshift hut in the forest. Both wore feathered headbands and lines were painted on their faces. Once more, he heard them both make the promise to stand strong for each other, no matter what would happen. They sealed the promise with their blood on a piece of paper that lay beneath them.

Hogan smiled, fond of the memory. Their mother had been outraged as she discovered that they had nicked a kitchen knife to cut their fingers open and then seal some kind of blood bond between them.

He could still hear her screamed reprimand. _"Don´t you two ever mess around with knives again!"_.

Now, that promise seemed far, far away. It seemed to have occurred in a different life.

What had become of the world when the two brothers now stood against each other? And now, they were not fighting as they had done then, no, this time their fight would inevitably come down to a more serious end, an end without return for both of them.

_If this is what it is going to be, then one of us will have to live with the fact, that he has killed a brother._

Hogan sat down on his bunk, his head dazzling with plans, thousands of plans, but also plans of which the outcome was similar. Either he himself, in front of a firing squad or George, facing Hogan or one of his men, bearing a gun in their hands, about to shoot him.

Again he began pacing the room.

_Three steps, turn, three steps, turn, three steps-_

He stopped dead in his tracks, as a thought came to his mind.

_What if I could send him to London? Capture him and send him to safety?_

He frowned his eyebrows in concentration as a plan began to manifest itself in his mind.

_Of course you´d need permission from London to do so._

Still deep in thoughts, Hogan made his way down the tunnel, where Kinch sat behind the radio.

Kinch saw him coming, but before he could ask any questions Hogan said:

"Kinch, could you contact London immediately? I want to pose them a different version to their original plans.".

Kinch nodded and handed him the earphones.

"Goldilocks, this is Papa Bear, Goldilocks, do you read?".

"Papa Bear, here Goldilocks. What´s of your business. Over.".

"Request permission to alter plans regarding General Hochman. He will be sent to headquarters as a package. Over.".

"Request denied, Papa Bear. General Hampton wants orders to be carried out as given. Over.".

Hogan exploded. The tension of the last hours, the hope he had had for a different outcome of the events, everything was now unleashed as rage in one fiercely spoken sentence.

"Goldilocks, Papa Bear will not carry out mission as planned for personal reasons. OVER!".

The person on the other end of the line remained silent, obviously shocked by this unexpected outburst.

A few minutes later, while Hogan tried to collect himself and get his emotions under control, London responded again.

"Papa Bear, this is General Hampton speaking. Request reasons for this inadequate behaviour immediately. Over.".

"General, this is Papa Bear himself. General Hochman is my brother if you need to know and I will not assassinate my own brother, or I would be no better than the Nazis! Over.".

The Generals voice on the other end of the line turned cold.

"Papa Bear do not let your feelings get in the way of the war effort. Hochman is extremely dangerous. Every family has paid the price to the war and if you don´t get your emotions under control, hundreds of valuable agents of the Hammelburg network will die. Over.".

"General, I only request permission to transport him to London instead of killing him. Over.".

"Papa Bear. Suspect is too dangerous. We can not risk transport. Either you carry out mission as ordered or London High Command will be forced to remove you from your post and have you court martialed. That´s all. Over and out.".

Hogan was about to explode another time, when he realised that the connection had been broken. He turned to Kinch.

"Orders were simple, kill your brother or be removed from your post and court martialed as a traitor.".

Kinch shook his head. "I´m sorry, sir.".

Hogan stormed up the ladder and vanished into his office, crashing the door shut.

Soon after that, the men heard him pacing again.

_Three steps, turn, three steps, turn, three steps, turn, three steps, turn._

Kinch climbed up the ladder minutes later than the Colonel and found himself in the middle of his friends.

"Kinch, what was mon Colonel doing down there? ´as ´e got a plan? What is going on?".

Newkirk jumped in as well.

"Yeah, ´e came stormin´ up the ladder and vanished into ´is office. I´ts a miracle that the door´s still in one piece. He slammed it shut with so much force, I wouldn´t ´ave wondered if it ´ad split in two!".

Kinch sat down at the table and then said.

"Basically London left the Colonel with two options. Either assassinating his own brother or being relieved from command and court martialed as a traitor.".

Carters eyes widened in shock. "But London can´t possibly think-".

And LeBeau added. "Seems Andrew, that the brass ´ave finally lost their mind...".

* * *

General Jörg Hochman was pacing in his office.

_Three steps, turn, three steps, turn, three st-_

Suddenly, he burst into laughter, because he had just caught himself with the old habit of what the Hogan family called the "Hogan-three-step". He remembered his brother Rob doing it for the first time when he was three years old and had just lost his favourite rubber duck, to which he fondly referred as "Dumpy".

_Must be in the genes._

He wondered where his brother would be now. It had been almost ten years now that they had not seen each other. Since George had joined the NSDAP he had not received any mail from his family either, which was due to him having moved to Munich without letting his family know.

It was not a good thing to be in the Nazi party and correspond with family in the US, particularly as Jörg remembered when your brother was an accomplished bomber pilot wreaking havoc on German cities and always managing to return back to base, even with only half the engines left.

Of course he had heard that his brother had been shot down in a raid over Hamburg, but since then he had no idea where he was. For a time he had tried to keep track of his brother, but at that time he had still only been a sergeant, not of much importance or influence.

Now however, the situation was different, but still much the same, because he could not draw attention to the fact that Robert Hogan was his brother. It would be very, very dangerous for himself and for his further career.

His thoughts were interrupted by Major Heinzmann, who entered his office.

"Herr General, I have got information for you, regarding the Underground leader Papa Bear. It was send to you by _Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer_ and it´s coded with the newest code.".

Hochman nodded approvingly. "Very well, Herr Major. Would you leave me alone with this?".

Heinzmann nodded. "Herr General, wouldn´t it be time to tell me what this is all about? After all, I am your personal guard and maybe I could-".

Hochman looked sharply at him. "Major, I think we discussed this matter thoroughly. I am the only one beside my informants who knows about my work and my suspicions. Have we understood each other?".

"Yes, sir.". Heinzmann turned sourly and left the office.

Hochman glared at the message.

_Interesting. So Papa Bear is hiding in Stalag 13? This message says that the senior POW there is Papa Bear, mmh, I´d better go and visit that camp._

Grinning, he left the office and said to the guard at the door:

"Sergeant, get my car, I´ll be going to Stalag 13 for a surprise visit...".

His grin widened as he thought of what his _Führer_ would say if he captured the most dangerous man in Germany.

_I will be his most trusted and loyal General. He will treat me like a brother._

_

* * *

_

Langenscheidt burst into Klinks office. Klink looked up from his paperwork.

"Yes, Corporal?".

"Sir, there is a General Hochman at the front gate. He says he wants to speak to you.".

Klink frowned. "A General? Now, this late at night? Let him in, I´ll see what he wants. Dismissed.".

* * *

"Colonel, there´s a car coming.".

Hogan jumped up from the chair. He had been sitting there and tried to think of a plan for almost an hour.

"What? Gestapo?".

"No sir, it seems to be Luftwaffe.".

Hogan nodded. "Get the others, I think we´ll have some coffee..."

"Yes sir, do you want any sugar?".

Hogan sighed and rolled his eyes. "I meant we were going to use the coffee pot to listen in. Now, get the others, they should also hear what´s going on.".

**

* * *

**

"Colonel Klink, I suppose? I am General Jörg Hochman and I am here to investigate serious accusations against your senior POW.".

Klinks monocle fell from his left eye. Hastily, he picked it up and tucked it into his pocket, before asking:

"Accusations Herr General? Of what nature?".

General Hochman straightened up a little, before responding:

"We have acquired information, that labels your senior POW as Papa Bear, as you may know, the most dangerous Underground leader in Germany.".

Klink widened his eyes so far, that Hochman could swear that his eyeballs were popping out a little. Then he whispered: "Papa Bear? But I-".

Then he continued more confident: "But General, this has to be a mistake, my senior POW is imprisoned in the toughest POW camp of Germany, there has never been an escape from Stalag 13.".

Hochman shook his head. "Klink, our sources are very sure about this, we will investigate the manner anyway. Could you please get me the senior POW here?".

Klink nodded, dumbfounded. "Certainly Herr General.".

Then he called: "Schultz, get the Colonel, now!".

Schultz hurried out and Klink said: "While we are waiting, General, would you like some Schnapps.".

Hochman nodded. "Yes, Colonel.".

**

* * *

**

As the General announced what he was up to, Hogan had nodded and turned to face his men.

"Fellas, I had expected this from the moment he entered this camp. Schultz will be here in any moment. I will see what I can do about George, if he really has become a full blown Nazi, there will be no point in staying here, for you lot. Get out immediately.".

Carter interrupted. "But Colonel, what about you?".

Hogan shook his head. "Everybody knows that I am supposed to be here, if I escape now, they will have the ultimate proof for me being no ordinary POW. They would take out their wrath on the rest of the camp and on Klink and Schultz. I can´t let that happen.".

"But Colonel-".

"Look, Carter. It was time that George and I were confronted with this difference in opinion. Maybe, he will give the matter some thought after he sees that his own brother has become his most dangerous enemy, maybe he will understand..".

Kinch looked at him, ruefully. "Colonel, you still hope to find your brother back, don´t you? You still think that there´s something good left in him, some sense of right and wrong?".

Hogan nodded. "Yes, Kinch, I do and my orders won´t change. You know my final orders and they stand, remember that.".

Kinch nodded. "I understand, Colonel. But remember why he has become a General, what he has done to become what he is now.".

LeBeau jumped in. "And mon Colonel, remember that we are proud to serve with you.".

And Newkirk said. "And that we are proud to be able to do something in this war, to-"

And Carter finished: "really make a difference.".

Hogan smiled and walked out of the office, where he bumped straight into Schultz.

"Colonel Hogan, the Kommandant-".

"I know Schultz, I´m coming.".

Schultzs eyes grew wide in surprise. "But Colonel, how? Wait, no, don´t tell me. I don´t see anything, I hear nothing! Nothing!".

Hogan now grinned broadly and followed Schultz.

**

* * *

**

A soft knock at the door was followed by the entrance of Schultz. After him came Hogan. Klink announced: "General Hochman, this is our senior POW.".

Hogan saluted, his eyes not leaving Hochmans face and said: "Hogan -".

And Hochman, who had dropped his Schnapps glass continued with his eyes wide: "Robert E.".

Hogan smiled a smug smile: "Hi George.".

And Hochman whispered: "Rob? You?".


	3. Things unsaid and left unsaid

Klinks eyes grew wide and he to dropped his Schnapps glass onto the floor. "General? Colonel Hogan?".

Hogan turned casually towards Klink, pretending that nothing had happened and asked in an inquiring voice:

"Kommandant Klink? You wanted to see me?".

Klink eyed Hogan closely, but let the subject rest for a moment.

"As a matter of fact, Colonel, General Hochman wanted to see you.".

Hochman nodded and adressed Hogan like he would have done with anyone. "Colonel Hogan, I have reason to suspect you of sabotage and espionage against the Third Reich. What do you say?".

Hogan glared back at his brother, surprised by the cold and indifferent tone of his voice.

_How many George? How many honest and brave men have been executed by you already?_

"I don´t know what you´re talking about."

Amusement lightened Hochmans eyes as he began circling around Hogan.

"Are you aware of the fact that suspected saboteurs are not regarded as ordinary POWs and therefore do not have to be treated according to the Geneva Convention?".

_Is this pleasure in your voice, George? _

Hogan remained silent.

Hochman, with a hint of a smile in his brown eyes turned towards Klink.

"Colonel Klink, you will arrange a little dinner party tonight and I want Colonel Hogan to be our guest.".

Klink nodded, uneasy by the look the General was giving him.

There was something familiar about this General, about the way he looked when he thought nobody was watching, the look in his eyes when he was thinking and even in the way he walked. And Klink had not forgotten the scene when the General and Colonel Hogan had first met. How did the General know Hogans name? And why had Hogan called the General George?

Finally, he decided to leave this until this evening. "Very well, Herr General. Colonel Hogan, you are invited to the dinner party this evening. Dismissed.".

Hogan nodded and with a last look at Hochman he left.

Klink turned towards Hochman, who was still looking at the door, behind which Colonel Hogan had vanished.

"General, if you permit to ask me, how did you know Colonel Hogans first name?".

Hochman obviously did not want to talk about this subject, because he mumbled something about "studying the mind of the enemy" and then changed the subject.

"Colonel, do you have any guest quarters by any chance? I´d like to stay for a few days while I am here to interrogate Colonel Hogan.".

Klink nodded. "Of course, Herr General. Schultz will show you your quarters.".

"Schultz! Bring the General to the guest quarters." and he added in a whisper "And bring Colonel Hogan here. I need to talk to him.".

Schultz nodded and disappeared out of sight.

Within minutes, he returned with Colonel Hogan.

Curious about what Klink wanted from him, he stood silently, waiting for Klink to tell the reason for his summon.

"Colonel Hogan. I am sorry to have to interrupt you in your busy life again, but I need to ask you something. Why did you call the General George? By my information his first name is Jörg...".

Hogan shifted uneasily. He did not want to tell Klink the truth, yet he did not know how to explain this slip of his tongue.

"I- ehm, I was merely guessing, I mean Jörg is quite a common name in Germany isn´t it and I wanted to annoy him, so I used the American version of the name instead.".

While he heard himself saying this, he heard how lame this excuse was sounding. If Klink believed this, he would certainly have reached a new peak of dumbness.

Klink shook his head. "Colonel Hogan, I think you have been in this camp long enough to realise that I see through your feeble attempts to fool me. I repeat my question and can only ask you to trust me, what is there between the General and you?".

Hogan shrugged and shifted his feet again. Klink had never before seen the American like this.

_The General seemes to be a tender spot with Hogan._

"Very well, Hogan. I will see you at six this evening for dinner, but meanwhile if you decide you need someone to talk to...".

Hogan saluted his normal sloppy salute and left without a word. Angrily he marched back to the Barracks.

_Great job, Rob. Klink has seen through the most stupid cover story you´ve ever invented and your own brother is after you. And above all, Klink thinks you need him to be a sort of psychiatrist. What a great day._

He rushed past his men into his quarters and slammed the door shut again. Fiercely he looked around the room as if searching for something that could be blamed for everything. His eyes travelled towards the calendar on the wall.

_Maybe it´s Friday the thirteenth and tomorrow everything will be all right again._

But the date did not do anything to lift his spirits. It only made him feel worse.

_12th of July. Absolutely great. Happy Birthday to me tomorrow._

He smiled faintly as he realised the irony of the situation.

_Last year you would have given almost everything to have one of your family members with you at your birthday and now..._

He glanced at his watch. Five o´clock.

_Dinner´s at six, you´d better stop feeling miserable for yourself now and inform the others._

_

* * *

_

"Well he did not take you to Berlin or lock you in the cooler, that is at least something.". Carter was doing his best to brighten up the situation, but he did not succeed.

"That´s ruddy wonderful then, mate. Who says that that bloke won´do that in the future? An´ besides that he said that ´e´s got evidence, ´asn´t he? What if someone else knows about this and decide it´s time to act?".

Hogan smiled faintly. "Newkirk, Newkirk always a happy word to brighten up the day.".

"Maybe I could put some poison in the food for tonight?".

Hogan shook his head. "LeBeau, I told you already that I don´t want to kill my own brother if it is not absolutely necessary and besides that I have to eat the food as well.".

"But if I put the poison into the food, you ´aven´t done anything. So you wouldn´t ´ave killed your own brother.".

Hogans temper was flaring up again. "You lot just don´t understand, do you? He is my brother for heaven´s sake! I don´t want him to be harmed, no matter how dangerous, no matter how cruel he is!".

Kinch put his hand upon Hogans shoulder, pushing him into his seat again.

Slowly, Hogans breathing slowed and the angry red spots on his cheeks disappeared. Suddenly he looked tired and much older than he was.

"Sorry, Louis, I shouldn´t have shouted at you, it´s just-".

LeBeau shook his head. "It´s okay, mon Colonel. I understand.".

Hogan looked at the others. "I think I´m going to freshen up a bit, you know, for dinner.". And he walked into his office, closing the door softly, almost to soft.

"Boys, I don´t know what ya lot are thinkin´, but this can´t go on like this. The guv´nor is goin´to crack under this. It´s to ruddy much.".

The others nodded, thought fully.

"Maybe we should take his mind of the subject for a few hours?".

"Oui, Carter, but how?".

"Well, after all, it´s his birthday tomorrow, maybe we could have a kind of party?".

"I doubt that the guv´nor will be in any mood for a party mate, but we can try.".

LeBeau smiled gleefully. "I will make a nice meal for mon Colonel. He´ll never want anything else after this!".

Carter jumped in. "I´ll make some nice fireworks.".

Kinch and Newkirk exchanged looks. "Then it´s up to us to get a present I suppose?".

"We´ll get somethin´ special, somethin´ really, really special.".

Their planning was interrupted by Hogan coming out of the office. He was now in dress uniform and made a beeline for the Barracks door as if he wanted to escape unnoticed. In the last moment, he changed his mind turned around and said:

"Well, I´m going to see Klink then. See you later.". He smiled what should obviously look like a comfortable smile and disappeared.

"We´d better throw a good party, one which he´ll enjoy more than the party tonight.".

* * *

Hogan dashed into Klinks dining room, only to find that the General and Klink were already there. He threw them a sloppy salute and sat down. 

Hochman raised his eyebrow. "Colonel Hogan, is this what you see as proper military behaviour?".

Challenging, Hogan looked at Hochman. Klink tried to make himself invisible. He knew what was about to come, he knew this from the various occasions on which both Hochstetter and Burkhalter had tried to make Hogan salute them with the respect they thought they deserved. Hogan had never obeyed to such an order, never.

The silence was building, it was one of the heaviest silences Klink had ever endured. Finally he glanced at Hogan, then at Hochman. Both men did not move, they only stared at each other.

Hochman was the first to break the silence. "Stubborn, Colonel? Never learned any respect?".

"Not for **the enemy**." Hogan shot at him. Klink looked astonished. Why had Hogan accentuated the words "the enemy"?

Hochman smiled sadly. "I thought you would say this, Colonel.".

The tension in the room lessened slightly, as the food was brought into the room. Hogan stared at it.

_LeBeau has not been asked to cook. Klink seems to have forgotten to ask me. Why?_

Hogan looked up again from his plate and watched Hochman and Klink eating. He himself had not touched the food, he was not hungry.

_Come on George, what do you want from me?_

After the meal, Hogan got to his feet, as though he wanted to leave again. Hochman glared at him.

"Colonel, leaving already? I would enjoy to have you as company for the rest of the evening as well, you surely wouldn´t refuse, would you?".

Hogan sighed and sat down again.

_I knew it. This is not the end._

The General spoke again. "I wondered Colonel Hogan, wondered for a long time when Klink showed me your file this evening. You seem to resist to give any information to us, even personal information regarding your family or your place of birth.".

"And this will remain so, General.".

Hochman smiled. "You know, Colonel it appears that I know more about you than you could think. I know for example that you have got two brothers, Thomas and George.".

Hogan shifted on the chair. His mouth was dry. Where was George heading?

He turned his head around very fast as he heard the sound of glass shattering. Klink had dropped his glass once more, a look of comprehension on his face.

_George? Could it be? Could it be possible?_

Klink flushed. "Excuse me General, I think the glass slipped through my fingers.".

Hochman nodded curtly, while Klink was again lost in thought.

_But he is called Hochman, not Hogan. I definitely need a word with Hogan about this._

Hochman resumed his talk. "Now as I was saying before Colonel Klink dropped his glass. I happen to know your brothers. Would you like to know what happened to them?".

Hogan nodded, still not knowing where his brother was heading.

"Thomas Hogan, or as he is known amongst his friends and family, Tom Hogan was shot down three months ago and is now imprisoned in a POW camp. George however-".

He stopped for a moment to observe Hogan. The muscles in his jaw were tensed, but he still looked tired, worn. He sported a few grey hairs just above his ear, but the eyes looked still young. However, at the news of Tom being imprisoned the lights in the eyes seemed to dim and worry filled them. but from the outside, Hogan remained calm and indifferent.

_You are guarding your emotions Rob, but your eyes betray you._

"As I said, George. You will be sorry to hear, that George died. He died shortly after Hitler rose to power.".

Klink looked confused and glanced at Hogan. Hogan looked more surprised than shocked.

Suddenly, realisation dawned on him.

_He means that the George in him died, he has become Jörg Hochman, member of the Nazi party._

_And this means_ said a little voice in his head _that you don´t have to expect any mercy from him, so he will kill you, or you´ll have to kill him._

Hogan shook his head and said in a soft voice. "I don´t believe you.".


	4. The House of Hogan

Thanks for the reviews ;-)

* * *

Hochman smiled coldly and unpinned one of his medals from his uniform. His fingers played with it, while he himself stared absent-mindedly into the room.

Finally, he dropped it onto the table and shoved it towards Hogan.

"Do you see this, Colonel?". Hogan nodded, it was an iron cross, first class, given only for special services to the Fatherland.

Hochman took it back and rolled it between his fingers. "They were quite stubborn, you know. Didn´t want to give me any information at all, in the end however...".

A smile erupted on his face. "The Führer was very happy with me that day and the Underground network around Bremen has never been the same.".

Hogan clenched his fists angrily.

_What animal have you become, George? What have the Nazi´s made out of you?_

Hochman pinned the medal to his chest again and looked at Hogan.

"The Underground is foolish. It consists of fools, who under the cover of noble thoughts kill soldiers of the Fatherland, blow up bridges and destroy important war machinery. That day I learned a lot from them. Their noble thoughts only suffice for a certain amount of time. Pain, Colonel, pain is the key to everybody´s thoughts, no matter how carefully locked away.".

Hogan tried to look as though these statements could not reach him, however inside him a wild mass of feelings made him uncertain and vulnerable, but still he remained silent, knowing that if he opened his mouth he would show more of himself than he wanted.

Hochman eyed him with a smile in which the cruelty of his words was displayed.

"Some of them were only sixteen, you know, merely children. I wonder why the Underground even let them join, they were not very good at concealing their thoughts I´m afraid.".

Hogan looked at his brother and shook his head once more. "I don´t believe you.". Anger made his voice shake, but the words mattered nothing to Hochman.

"You are still not convinced, Colonel? Then let me tell you the story of _Little Rabbit_, as he was called in the Underground.".

Hogans face remained straight, but inside him, his feelings screamed for a way out. He himself had been with _Little Rabbit_, when he died from injuries sustained under intensive interrogation.1 It should have been a rescue mission, but they had been too late. One question however remained. Hogan and his men had found _Little Rabbit_ in Gestapo Headquarters and George was _Luftwaffe_.

"We picked him up in the woods, late at night. It turned out that he had some explosives with him. I had quite an interesting chat with him, before I turned him over to the Gestapo. Unfortunately he died, before they could question him, sad isn´t it?".

Hogan could not resist any longer. His voice shaking with the fury he felt and his eyes boring into Hochmans he whispered. "Animal.".

He did not get the awaited reaction. Hochman burst into laughter, cruel laughter that made Klink jump in his chair.

"Animal you say? I think you, above all should know what an animal is, as you live in a camp for allied swines?".

Hogan was dumbfounded. All anger was gone, all fear, all hatred only grief was left behind.

_So that´s what I am to you now, George? An allied swine? Nothing more?_

He felt like a balloon that deflated at the look his brother was giving him.

Hochmans eyes laughed at him, as they saw the hurt look in his eyes.

"Now I told you about _Little Rabbit,_ maybe, Colonel it is time for a chat about a fairy tale?".

Hogan was completely surprised by this. He had awaited more tales of cruelty, more attempts to hurt him.

"Fairy tales?".

Hochman nodded. "I always liked fairy tales, especially the one about _Goldilocks and the three bears._ My favourite character was _Papa Bear_.".

This was no coincidence, Hogan knew at once.

_He´s toying with me, trying to draw me out, so that I maybe give him some information without realizing it._

Hogans eyes narrowed as he replied: "If you like fairy tales, I´ll draw attention to the fact, that they always end with "and they lived happily ever after".".

Klink looked confused again. What was going on here?

Hochman chuckled. "I always thought that there was something wrong with fairy tales."

Hogan felt the rage flaring up in him again. Trembling, he said. "Do you know what? I know another story. It´s about a painter from Braunau, I believe. Poor chap, absolutely rubbish at everything he tried. Later he became a writer, wrote the most unreadable book ever written and now he´s bossing around other people, creating an image of the perfect man, without realizing he´s exactly the opposite.".

Before Hogan realised what was happening he was struggling for breath as George throttled him with al l his might.

His eyes flaring with anger, he gasped: "You, you American will not insult my Führer!".

Hogan tried desperately to free himself from his brothers iron grip. He struggled for breath as dark spots began to dance before his eyes.

Klink jumped up, gripped Hochman by the shoulders and tried to pull him away from Hogan who was now turning a distinct shade of blue.

"General! Calm down, please!".

Finally, Klink was able to pull him away and guide him to a chair. Hogan breathed heavily, not quite believing what had happened.

_He would have killed me, if Klink wouldn´t have acted, he would have killed me._

Klink was walking around the room nervously, not quite knowing what to do. Finally, he said:

"General, I think we are all tired. We should go to bed.".

Hochman nodded, anger still flaring in his eyes.

"Yes, Klink indeed, but Colonel we are not finished yet, this is just the beginning.".

Hogan nodded and opened the door. As he wanted to walk out, Hochman said: "And Hogan, do you believe me now?".

Hogan said nothing and made his way back to Barracks Two, the feeling of someone throttling him not yet gone, the look of anger in Hochmans eyes not yet vanished from his memory.

_What has happened to the brother I once knew?_

* * *

In Barracks Two, LeBeau, Carter, Kinch and Newkirk were still waiting at the table. Pretending to play cards, they merely awaited Colonel Hogans return.

When he finally came, he was surprised at seeing them there, in the darkness, waiting for him.

"You lot still here? Lights out was one hour ago.".

"We just thought guv´nor that you might needed someone to talk to.".

Hogan nodded absent-mindedly feeling his throat. "We´d better go into my office, there we can put on the light, without drawing too much attention to ourselves."

* * *

"Mon Dieu, mon Colonel! Qu´est-ce que c´est ca?".

Hogan raised his eyebrows. "What´s what?".

"There, on your throat, there are red spots all over it!".

"Little difference in opinion between me and George...".

"LITTLE!".

Hogan nodded dismissively. "Yes, little, nothing that should concern any of you. The important thing is, that George himself said that George is dead, obviously meaning that he is no longer the person I knew once.".

Carter hopped on his chair, excited. "So we´re going to blow him up? We are, aren´t we?".

"Or can I poison him? Just a little bit of poison in le diner for tomorrow and...".

Tiredly, Hogan shook his head. The others noticed that he had never before looked so tired and so very old. Lack of sleep and anguish had marked black lines under his eyes and his hands trembled slightly, as he put them together, as if to comfort himself.

"I can´t, I just can´t kill him.". He whispered.

"Mais, mon Colonel, he will kill you!".

Hogan shook his head. "Not only me, LeBeau, he will have all the others, the whole Underground network and he won´t stop, he´ll go on...".

All of them fell silent, while their eyes rested upon their commander. Finally Hogan said: "I- I need to think this through.".

And they moved out of his office, understanding his silent plea to be alone.

Hogan buried his head in his hands. The words of General Hampton echoed in his head: "Don´t let your feelings get in the way".

_But aren´t my feelings the only reason why I can still look in the mirror? I can´t choose the easy way out, because it wouldn´t be the easy way for me. There is no longer an easy way._

He stared out of the window into the dark blue night sky. Stars were twinkling at him as if each of them beamed at him.

_I wonder George, do you sometimes look at the sky?_

He sighed again, grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled on it, not looking at what he was doing. When he looked at the paper again, he saw that he had drawn a picture he hadn´t drawn for ages. It was about the only thing he´d ever been able to draw. It was a small house.

Smiling he added the details that he felt belonged to the house, flowers behind the windows, curtains, trees in the garden. Lost in thought he finished the drawing.

He remembered that he had drawn this house since he was very young, surely as he grew older it had become more detailed, but the structure had remained the same. A door, five windows, a chimney, flowers behind every window, curtains, five bushes in the garden, five trees behind them. A sun directly above it, surrounded by some clouds under which birds came into view and a plane, circling the sun.

He traced the windows with his finger. _Five windows, one for each Hogan._

Memories came with the house.

* * *

"Come on Rob, lets draw something together for Mum´s birthday. We´ll make a giant painting just we two!". 

Six year old Rob Hogan smiled at his older brother. Ten minutes later they were totally absorbed in their task.

Rob drew his house again. A door, five windows...

"Hey Robbie, why does your house always have five windows?".

Rob shrugged. "I dunno. Guess it looks pretty..."

"Wanna see what I drew? Look, it´s the view from my bedroom window, d´you like it?".

Rob nodded. His brother was really good at drawing, he could see the forest, the garden and the fence. The fence?

"George why did you draw a fence there? We don´t have one...".

George shrugged, but did not answer.

* * *

Hogan glanced at the night sky once more as he went over the events of the evening.

_This was not the first row we had about this subject._

_

* * *

_

"Why are you staying here, George, why don´t you come with us?", Rob Hogan, now twenty-six cornered his brother in the living room.

"How can you stay here while Hitler is taking over?".

George shrugged. "I told you, Rob. I´m in the army and I won´t resign from my post, I can´t don´t you understand? It´s my duty to the Third Reich, it´s my duty to the Führer!".

"You´re only staying because you´re afraid of what will happen when you leave the army. You are afraid of being accused of deserting the army.".

"I´m not afraid! I respect the Führer, he is right about lots of things!".

Rob Hogan shook his head. "Fear is not respect.".

George said, now angry. "What do you mean by that!".

"I mean, that you´re only afraid of him and of his opinion.".

George snorted. "Me afraid? You´re afraid, you´re running away!".

Rob shook his head. "You will learn the difference between running away and obeying orders blindly soon enough and you´ll discover which of those is more cowardly.".

George laughed a humourless laugh, before he walked out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

_He still hasn´t learned. _

A tear dripped down Hogans cheek, through his fingers and landed on the paper. It landed in the middle of the third window.

_Neither of us can hide now._

_

* * *

1. The whole story is my story called "Shades of Grey" _


	5. Happy Birthday, Colonel

It was barely four o´clock, when Hogan walked out of his office to get some coffee. He rubbed his eyes, but the feeling of tiredness would not vanish.

_No wonder, when you´ve been up all night, pacing your quarters and there´s still no solution._

He folded his fingers around the cup and stared out of the window. The camp was quiet, only a few guards patrolled the fence.

_Imagine allied forces marching through that front gate, just now. _

He waited and looked at the front gate, as if the allied forces would appear if he only wished for it to happen. Of course, they did not come.

_Would´ve been too easy anyway. Has anything ever been easy?_

He refilled his cup, but when he walked back towards the table, he tripped over LeBeaus box full of cooking equipment and in his attempt to remain upright, he grabbed the table, which promptly turned over and smashed onto the ground.

Hogan got to his feet again, brushing the dirt of his uniform. While he was pushing the table upright again, everywhere in the Barracks sleepy heads turned towards him.

"Geez, Colonel what are you doing?".

"Ehm sorry fellas, I tripped.".

Hogan settled himself once more at the table and looked around the Barracks at all the men, who were going back to sleep. However, when he reached Kinch´s bunk, he halted.

_Where´s Kinch?_

He looked around the rest of the room and discovered that Newkirk too was missing.

_Where are they?_

Immediately, he got to his feet and went down into the tunnel. They were not there.

He climbed upstairs again and walked towards Carters bunk. Gently, he shook him by the shoulder and whispered: "Carter, where are Newkirk and Kinch?".

Carter woke up and looked at him, confused. "What?".

"Where are Newkirk and Kinch?".

Instantly, Carter was wide awake. "Well, you see Colonel they ehm-". He did not continue his sentence, so Hogan tried again.

"Where are they, Carter? Escaped?".

Carter shook his head. "No sir, just let´s say-".

He was saved by the noise of the secret tunnel entrance opening. Out climbed Kinch and Newkirk. Hogan made his way towards them.

"Where have you two been?".

Both of them looked taken aback, not quite sure what to say. They had not anticipated that the Colonel would be awake or that he would have discovered that they were missing.

Hogan grew impatient. "Come on, where have you been?".

"Well, you see, guv´nor, I ehm, yesterday while we were digging some new tunnel, I lost me lucky card an´ I had to go back an´ you know, find it. Would´ve ruined my lucky streak you see.".

Hogan smiled, he didn´t believe a word of this, but it seemed to be nothing important, compared to his other problems.

"Well, then if you´ve found it, go back to bed there´s another three hours until roll call."

"Yes, sir.".

Hogan decided to go back into his quarters. There he would at least not discover things he should not know.

_I will see soon enough, I guess._

The drawing on his desk made his mind return to the most urgent problem again.

_Why is it so difficult for me to decide this time? I have ordered men to be killed before and George made it clear, that he is no longer the one you once knew, so why can´t I get on with this mission?_

Again, his eyes travelled across the room, over the ceiling, the bed, the drawer. The drawer was opened slightly and he could see a glimpse of the pile of letters he´d gotten from his parents.

_What would mum and dad say if they knew about this? Would they want one of their sons to become a murderer? No, never. But what if there´s no choice?_

He put his head in his hands again, rubbing his eyes.

_George endangers hundreds of good men and their families, can I allow him to continue? Isn´t it my duty to kill him? But if I put my duty before my feelings, I would be no better than the Nazi´s..._

And there, his head resting in his hands, he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion. He was woken up by Schultz, who was shouting: "Raus! Raus!".

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he followed the others outside.

Hogan stepped into the line, eyeing his men. Newkirk and Kinch looked tired, almost as if they hadn´t gotten any sleep last night...

Klink came running out of his office. "Schultz! Repoooooooooort!".

Schultz, very happy turned and reported proudly. "Herr Kommandant, all prisoners present and accounted for!".

Snickers broke out in the lines as Newkirk whispered. "Yes, but for how long?".

Schultz put his finger to his lips. "Shhh, the Kommandant wants to say something.".

Indeed, Klink had turned to face the men and was now beginning another "Klink speech", which as the prisoners knew meant, that it would either take five minutes, or five hours before they could go back into the Barracks.

"Prisoners, as Kommandant of this beautiful camp, I have to tell you something important. Some of you may already have noticed, that we have a very special guest here in this camp.".

At these words, he gestured towards Hochman, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"This, is General Jörg Hochman, a very famous and respected Luftwaffe General. He is here for some investigations. During his stay, I don´t want any misbehaviour from your side. Any infraction of the rules will be, as usual, severely punished.".

Hochman gave a soft cough, indicating, that he also wanted to say something. He stepped forward and addressed the prisoners.

"So these they are, the prisoners of our superiority.", he spoke, as if to himself.

"All of you will have realised by now, that for you, the war is definitely over. And of course, soon the war will be over for all of us, because the Third Reich is proving his superiority by winning ground on all fronts.".

Hogan bit his cheek to prevent a sneering comment from coming out of his mouth.

Hochman now marched in front of the assembled prisoners and stopped in front of Hogan.

"And here we´ve got another proof of our superiority. Famous Colonel Hogan, the feared pilot of the allied forces in a prison camp."

"I wouldn´t be so proud of that. If they hadn´t had half the Luftwaffe aiming for my plane I wouldn´t be here right now.".

Hochman chuckled. "Cheeky, Colonel? Have I touched a tender spot in your pride?".

"At least I´ve got pride in which you can touch tender spots.", Hogan bit back, angrily.

A broad grin appeared on Hochmans face. "Still thinking about fighting, Colonel? Maybe still fighting? I think we will talk about this later, Papa Bear...".

And he turned and walked away. Klink, now very nervous dismissed the prisoners and got back into his office.

* * *

"Mon Colonel, we have to do something about him, now!".

Hogan nodded, his eyes weary. "I know, Louis, I know, but I don´t know what!".

Carter jumped in. "Maybe we could-".

Hogan shook his head violently before Carter had finished the sentence. "No, we will not kill him. I need to think about this.". And he marched into his office again.

Newkirk shook his head. "This is not going to work. We need to do something now.".

And Carter said: "Why don´t we solve his problem? We could kidnap Hochman and keep him in the tunnel until we need to bring some allied soldiers to London. Then we could send him with them, they could watch him and make sure he doesn´t escape. Then he could be imprisoned in London somewhere, until the war ends.".

Newkirk slapped him on the shoulder. "I think I like that plan, mate. Let´s contact London.".

Kinch smiled and nodded. "Very good, Andrew.".

"I think we should go and get mon Colonel. Then we contact London and we could wish him happy birthday as well. By the way, Kinch, Newkirk did you manage to get the special birthday present?".

As they nodded, all of them smiled and Carter went to get the Colonel.

* * *

A soft knock on the door made Hogan jump up from his chair. "Yes?". 

Carter entered. "Hi Colonel, I just thought, I mean we just thought and then we had that plan and we think it´s really good. Do you like it?".

Hogan looked confused. "Do I like what?".

"Our plan!".

Hogan smiled. "You´ll first need to explain it to me, I can´t agree on a plan if I don´t know it.".

Carter slapped himself on the head. "Oh sorry, boy, I mean sir.".

Finally he began explaining his plan. During this explanation, he saw Hogans eyes brighten.

"So we´re going to do it?". Hogan nodded and followed Carter out of the room. There in the main room stood Newkirk, Kinch and LeBeau. All of them got down the tunnel.

Kinch handed Hogan the headset.

"Goldilocks, here is Papa Bear, over.".

"Papa Bear, here Goldilocks, over.".

"Papa Bear asking permission for change of plans, over.".

"What kind of change, over?".

"Kidnap Hochman and send him to London together with allied soldiers, over.".

"Papa Bear, we´ll call back in ten minutes and tell our decision, over and out.".

Hogan looked around the men. Kinch and Newkirk were missing again. "Hey, where are Kinch and Newkirk?".

Carter smiled at him. "Well, sir they are off to get something. And", he looked around, where Newkirk and Kinch had appeared out of the escape tunnel, "there they are.".

Kinch and Newkirk both grinned broadly as they shoved another person into the room. "We thought we´d just say happy birthday, sir.".

The person shook his black hair out of his eyes. Green eyes beamed at the man before him.

"Hi Rob, happy birthday.".

Hogan dropped his crush cap, which he had been holding.

"Tom?".


	6. What´s my name?

Thanks for the reviews!

* * *

Tom Hogan strolled casually towards his brother, intending to remain calm and in control, but when he looked into the eyes of the brother, whom he hadn´t spoken to for over a year, he threw his coolness to the winds and pulled him into a bear hug.

When they let go, Hogan had to voice his surprise. "How come your here? I thought you were in a POW camp?".

Tom grinned. "I was, until yesterday. The camp Kommandant told me that I was going to be transferred to another Stalag. On the way our truck was attacked and I was brought here by your men.".

Hogans gaze wandered over his men and he said threateningly. "So you lot attacked a truck to get me a birthday present?".

Carter beamed at him. "At least it´s better than last year when we wanted to give you that ammunitions factory, isn´t it?".1

Hogan let go of all feigned anger and laughed. "Indeed, Carter.".

Tom slapped Hogan on the shoulder. "I knew that you must be involved in something crazy and this looks as if it´s the height of craziness.".

As if to answer this comment the radio flashed to indicate that someone was transmitting a message to them.

Hogan practically jumped at the headset for it would either relieve him from a lot of problems or heavy the burden this mission placed upon him.

"Papa Bear, here is Goldilocks, over.".

"Goldilocks, here´s Papa Bear. over.".

"Permission granted, Papa Bear. Send message when packages are to be picked up, over and out.".

Hogan sighed with relieve. All anguish and fear of the last twenty-four hours were present in that sigh.

_Thank God I don´t have to become a murderer of my own brother._

"Hey, just a second. Packages? Permission? What are they talking about? And who are you talking to anyway?".

Hogan picked his crush cap from the ground, put it on his head and tilted it backwards, giving him a somewhat boyish appearance. A cocky grin flashed across his face. "Tom, I´ll give you a tour of Papa Bears den.".

"Boy, I knew this was crazy, but this is absolutely mad!". Toms voice was filled with enthusiasm. "We never managed to build a single tunnel at Stalag 6. Either they were discovered or almost crashed down on top of us.".

Hogan frowned. "Stalag 6? Do you know a Colonel Crittendon by any chance?".

Toms eyes widened. "Yes, he was our senior POW, how come you know him?".

"Let´s say he has been here for a short time and as he outranks me, I experienced what it is like to have him as a senior POW...".

Tom grinned and let his gaze rest on his brothers wings. "So you´re a Colonel now, Rob?".

"I was, last time I checked. **Corporal.**".

"Hey, why do you put so much emphasis on that?".

"Because,". Hogan slapped his brothers hat over his eyes and grinned, "if you attack me now, I´ll have you court martialed.".

"Hey, that´s not fair, but wait.". Tom looked around the tunnel and found what he´d been searching for. On the cot in the far side of the room lay a pillow. "There´s no allied High Command around now, so...".

Seconds later, the pillow flew through the room and hit Hogan straight in the face. Hogan was just about to take revenge when someone shouted from above: "Klinks coming!".

While Hogan climbed the ladder, he shouted: "Wait until Klinks gone, I´ll have you!".

Kinch and Newkirk exchanged joyful smiles. _He seems to have forgotten some of his worries at least for a short time._

Hogan threw Klink his usual sloppy salute, but Klink ignored this completely.

"Colonel Hogan, General Hochman wants to see you.".

"So why does he send you to get me? Schultz would do nicely. Kommandant, I don´t understand why you allow yourself to be pushed around by that bully. Someone in your position-".

Klink interrupted him with an angry swipe of his hand. "My position does not matter. He is a General, I am a Colonel so if he sends me, I go. And now, Colonel Hogan enough of this, you will come with me!".

"As you wish, Kommandant.". And Hogan followed Klink, handing him the riding crop, which he had left on the table.

"Tss, Colonel, must be something in these Barracks that everyone forgets their stuff here or has Schultz infected you, perhaps?".

Klink glared at him questioningly. "What do you mean?".

Hogan shrugged. "Never mind.". When he closed the door behind him, he heard his men laughing.

_Rob, looks like you´ve found yourself again._

_

* * *

_

His good mood sank as soon as he entered Klinks office, where Hochman was waiting.

_He´s still not in London. I have to think of a plan first. But I will not let him push me around again. I want answers, now.  
_

Hogan threw his casual salute at Hochman and dropped himself into a chair. Hochmans eyes flickered angrily.

"Colonel, is this the way you salute an higher ranking officer?".

"I told you before, this is my way of saluting **enemy **officers.".

Hochman got up and began circling Hogans chair. Hogan got to his feet again. He didn´t like the way Hochman was staring down at him.

"So Colonel, you do not think it appropriate to salute a General.". Hochman looked at Hogan as a predator gazing at his prey.

Hogan faced Hochman and gazed into his eyes. "I said no.".

Hochmans lips twitched as if to repress a smile. "I thought you would say so. Klink, leave. I will call for you later.".

Klink saluted, but in his haste to get out, his salute was even sloppier than Hogans had been. Hochman snorted. "No wonder Colonel Hogan that you´ve never learned any respect. It seems to me that Kommandant Klink needs to learn his share as well...".

At these words, Klink turned a deeper shade of purple. He saluted again, now perfectly and hurried outside. Moments later, he came back and grabbed his monocle and riding crop from his desk. Muttering an apology, he vanished again, ignoring Hogans comment that was thrown after him about him resembling Schultz.

Once Klink was gone, Hochman positioned himself directly in front of Hogan. Both men were standing now, gazing into each others eyes, waiting for the first one to pull his gaze away.

Hogan said, still not unlocking his gaze: "I thought we have passed beyond the age that we were playing "coward" only with our eyes, George.".

Hochman made a small noise as he was addressed by his first name, but he did not pull away. "Which method would you prefer Colonel Hogan?".

Hogan shook his head slightly. "Why don´t you say my first name? Afraid to recall the times when we were brothers, when sides did not matter? Afraid that you won´t be able to pull the trigger if you think you have to?".

Hochmans head turned away. Gazing out of the window, he answered. "I already told you ten years ago that I am not afraid and a General does not talk about his feelings least of all with the enemy!".

"Enemy? Is that all I am to you? I recall the words allied swine coming from your mouth isn´t that what I am?".

Hochman turned around, his eyes flashing aggressively. "Don´t tease me! I wil not be addressed like this, Colonel Hogan! I am no Klink, you can not fool me like you can do to him."

"If I am worth nothing, why do you still address me formally, why George, why can´t you say my first name?".

Hochmans head turned red, his fists clenched and unclenched. It was clear, that he was about a second from hitting Hogan, but still Hogan would not let go.

_Let´s see how much of this "nasty Kraut General facade" is really there._

"George-". Hogan was interrupted by Hochman, who seemed now beside himself with rage.

"Do not call me George! I am not George anymore, I am Jörg!". He reached for his gun and aimed at Hogans chest.

Hogan shook his head. "Can you shoot me? Killing is much harder than some people think and killing a person with whom you share so many memories is even harder. What is worth more to you, George, the Führer or your brother?".

Hochmans gun fell out of his hands. With a trembling hand, he picked it up, his eyes softened for a brief moment, but when he looked at Hogan again the ice cold glare had returned.

"Colonel Hogan, enough of this insubordination. I could have you thrown into the cooler or even have you shot for this. How come you have survived for so long with this mouth of yours? I promise you, some day your mouth will kill you.".

Hogan shook his head wearily. "The time is over George. The time that you could tease me with this facade of yours, the time you could hurt me with your words. Tell me what you want and do what you wanted to do. Make your decision, George, the Führer or your brother.".

* * *

Meanwhile in the tunnel, Carter was showing Tom his laboratory. It turned out, that Tom had a lively interest in chemicals and shared Carters passion for explosives. The fireworks which Carter had prepared for the evening made him almost jump with excitement.

"Boy, they will be marvellous tonight. Can I come upstairs to see them?".

Kinch, who had appeared in the doorway grinned.

_This boy just looks so much like Carter. He´s way too young to be here, too young to have already been in a POW camp. _

When Tom saw Kinch, he asked: "Hi Kinch, do you know where my big brother´s gone?".

Kinch nodded. "He went with Klink, there´s a Kraut General here who wanted to see him.".

Tom looked questioningly at Kinch and the latter had the feeling as if the green eyes could see right through him.

"There´s more to this than just a surprise visit, isn´t there?".

Kinch nodded. "Yes, there is, but it is not up to me to tell you about this, you´ll need to ask Colonel- I mean your brother.".

Tom again threw this look full of questions at him. "Why don´t you call him by his first name? You lot seem to be so close and yet you always talk about him as "Colonel Hogan".".

"I guess it´s respect and also some military protocol still left over from training I think.".

Tom grinned. "That´s why I was always in trouble. Old Rodney didn´t like the breach in the protocol.".

Kinch laughed. _I guess I found a bit of Newkirk in him to._

_

* * *

_

While laughter echoed through the tunnels beneath Stalag 13, above them in the Kommandantur, tension made the air heavy. Neither Hogan nor Hochman spoke a word. Hochman would not meet his brothers eyes.

Suddenly, George began pacing the room and his brother could not help but say: "There´s still Hogan left in you, George.".

Hochman looked up, anger flared in his eyes again, but he did not say anything, nor did he do anything that would indicate that he would soon become violent. He only stopped pacing and let his eyes travel over his brothers figure.

Then, his eyes turned towards Hitlers picture on the wall. Respect suddenly walled in his eyes, which made Hogan almost shout at him, shout for not understanding what was going on here, shout at him for not being able to make the choice he himself had long since made.

When after a time that seemed eternity George had not answered, Hogan could do nothing else but build up the pressure.

His voice was soft, almost pleading when he said: "George, the Führer or your family?".

* * *

AN:

1. Episode 118: Happy Birthday, Dear Hogan


	7. There is no way back

For a moment it seemed as if George´s eyes softened and for a brief moment he became the brother Hogan had known in the past. When he turned back towards Hogan his eyes were almost pleading as he said:

"I can´t, there is no way back for me.".

Hogan stepped up to him and placed his hand upon his brothers shoulder. "There is, George, there is always a way back even from the greatest mistake.".

George shook his head. "There is none. My life belongs to Hitler now. Can´t you see, I just can´t leave!".

"Why don´t you give me a chance to guide you back?".

Again George shook his head. "You don´t understand me, you never understood me, you don´t know what it is like-".

Hogan looked questioningly at him, still not removing his hand from his brothers shoulder. "What what is like?".

But George would not answer. He stared out of the window, his eyes filled with tears he had never cried. It took him a few moments to gather himself.

"Why don´t you come over to our side? Join the Luftwaffe?".

Hogans eyes went cold. "I will never join the Germans, George.".

George shook himself free from Hogans comforting hand. "Then it is too late for you. I know everything about your operation, I could have the Gestapo here within minutes.".

"So why haven´t you done it already? You´ve been here two days, without doing anything.".

"I´m, tired of this killing, tired of this war. I want it all to end, without any more loss of life and you´re an obstacle in the way. Your sabotage kills many men, directly or indirectly, I can´t allow you to continue.".

"And I can´t allow you to continue either, George, do you realise what you have done?".

Hochman shook his head. "You still don´t understand. I kill rebels, you kill soldiers.".

Hogan stared at him, perplex. He could not understand his brothers point of view, yet he began to realise that only the end of the war could show his brother reality.

Hochman gestured at him, indicating that their talk was over. Hogan nodded and left the office. He crashed the door shut, but with the door he also shut a part of his innocence away. The part, which had believed that he could at least trust the people he cared about. Right and wrong were suddenly words that did not matter much.

While he walked through the compound, gazing at the grey clouds, which formed above his head, he realised that he could have accepted the death of one of his brothers, if only with time, but that he could not bear to see one of them killing people who fought the Nazis and thereby dying from inside.

_I thought I could convince him somehow that what he is doing is not right, but he seems to have shut himself away._

* * *

In Klinks office, George Hogan cried silently, while Jörg Hochman picked up the phone and called Gestapo headquarters in Hammelburg. 

George Hogan did not want to do this, he had not wanted a lot of things, which had happened in the past months, but they happened. The George Hogan who was now crying was the George, who had already lost his father, his wife, his son and partly his American family as he broke the bonds by changing his name. He had had enough of the war, enough of the grieve and tears, which he never cried but hid in his heart, where he locked them away, to be never seen again.

Jörg Hochman however cheered inside him and as he had stopped listening to the George inside him long ago, he dialed the numbers, one after the other.

While the Gestapo car pulled through the gates, Tom was playing cards with Newkirk and Carter, while Hogan watched them amused.

Hochstetter stalked into Klinks office, where he met Hochman and while the two of them made their way towards Barracks Two, Tom threw his cards onto the table and with a wide smile said: "Gin!".

Newkirk stared at him not quite believing that he had lost, when LeBeau shouted: "Hochstetter is coming!".

Tom jumped down the tunnel, which shut immediately behind him. Everybody else looked questioningly at Hogan, who had turned pale.

LeBeau could barely say: "Pourqoui?", before Hochstetter kicked the door open and stood face to face with Hogan.

Grinning devilish, he said: "Colonel Hogan, the game is over.".

Seconds later, Hogan was on the floor, with two Gestapo guards on top of him, securing his hands behind his back. When they led him out of the Barracks, he did not object, he allowed himself to be pushed around, the image of his brother George standing behind Hochstetter had shattered his defences.

The sight of Colonel Hogan being dragged away would have shocked Kinch, but this time, it broke his heart to see the man he respected so much being led away as if all hope had gone.

It took a few moments, before he realised that this was the case. There was no excuse to weasel the Colonel out this time.

When Tom came up the ladder again, he found a room full of shocked men. Questioningly, he looked around for a few seconds before he realised that his brother was gone.

"Where´s Rob?".

Kinch pointed to Hogans office. "Let´s go in there, it´s time that I tell you what´s been going on here.".

* * *

When Hogan felt himself being lifted up and literally thrown into the cooler, he did not try to protect himself. He landed flat on his face, but made no attempt to get up. Nothing mattered, he did not care any more.

Suddenly he realised that although he had tried to convince himself that he knew that his brother would do this, he had not truly believed it. Now, reality hit him harder than he could have foreseen.

When Hochstetter stepped inside, Hogan only raised his head.

* * *

"No, I don´t believe this!". Tom stepped away from Kinch, who had just told him about Hochman. "George wouldn´t, he cared for Rob, I´m sure.".

Kinch sighed. "I´m sorry, Tom. I never knew George, I only know that he is here now and that he´s the reason for your brother being in the hands of the Gestapo.".

"I will go and confront him! I have to talk to George, now!".

Kinch grabbed Tom as the young man made an attempt to sprint outside.

"You will not, Tom. You can´t help your brother by endangering yourself.".

Tom shook his head. "I won´t leave him in the hands of those Nazi bastards, never!".

Kinch smiled gently. "I never said we would leave your brother, I only told you to wait. We´ll try to think of a plan, even if it involves packing up the operation.".

"Promised?".

Kinch nodded. "Yes.".

* * *

Later, Kinch, LeBeau, Carter and Newkirk sat together in the main room of Barracks two, while Schultz was eating the remainder of their evening meal.

"Kinch, would you really sacrifice the operation to save Colonel Hogan?".

Kinch nodded. "Yes, Carter, I would without a moment of hesitation.".

"Mon Colonel would not like this. ´e would ´ave you court martialed, Kinch, you know ´is final orders.".

Kinch shook his head. "I don´t care.".

Silently the four of them looked around the Barracks and nothing was heard except Schultz, who was eating himself through the provided food and pretended to hear nothing.

* * *

"What do you want, Hochstetter? You haven´t asked me a single question in the last hour.".

Hochstetter snickered and stared at the figure before him. "Colonel Hogan, I think we are well beyond the point that you need to tell me anything, I know everything.".

Hogan bellowed: "So what do you want?".

Hochstetter laughed out loud. "A bit of enjoyment, Colonel. For years you have been playing me for a fool and now I am taking my... revenge.".

* * *

Tom Hogan stepped into Georges quarters at night. He had ignored Kinchs orders, but he knew that what he was doing was right, at least it was for him.

He glared down at his brother, whose face was enlightened by the light of the moon, shining through the opened window. A light breeze moved the curtains. Tom closed the window and positioned himself beside the bed.

Nobody would hear them, the guest quarters were to far away from the guards or the Kommandant´s office. Nothing would disturb them. Softly, he placed his hand over Georges mouth, before prodding him in the side.

"Hi George.". He snickered silently at Georges wide eyes and motioned him to remain silent. When he removed his hand, George seemed to think about screaming, but Tom placed his gun against his brothers head.

"So far so good, brother but we will talk and you will not cry out, or I will shoot you.".

George whispered. "You couldn´t, you couldn´t kill your brother.".

"Guess what you´re doing to Rob at the moment.", was Toms cold reply, before he seated himself in a chair and looked casually at his brother.

"I came to have a talk with you.".

"How do you come here? You were in a different Stalag!".

Tom shook his head. "It doesn´t matter, you will not get anything from me, nor will you arrest me. But I will talk to you now, about Rob.".

"You can´t save him.".

Tom laughed silently. "Do you think so?"

George gritted his teeth in anger. "What do you want?".

"I want to remind you of a promise you made before you left us to join the army.".

Suddenly, Georges gaze wandered away, to the past he had refused to remember.

* * *

"I have to go, mom, I want to fight, to make Germany what it was!".

He looked into his mother tear streaken face and it was as if all strength left him. Finally, he whispered: "Mom, why can´t you let me go?".

His mother rested her hand gently upon his shoulder. "I am afraid, George, afraid to lose you.".

George embraced his mother and while he felt her tears dripping onto his shoulder he whispered in her ear. "Mom, I promise, I will always be there for you and the others, I will protect you and them.".

His mother kissed him softly. "I know you will, my boy, I know you will.".

* * *

A tear dripped down Georges face as he remembered, but the gun in Toms head brought him back to reality.

"So what are you going to do now?".

"I want you to release Rob, I want you to fulfil the promise you made to mom!"

"And if I refuse?".

The hand in which Tom held his gun shook slightly, but he recovered almost immediately. "I will have to try to save him and not one of your brothers will die, but two of them!".

With these words, Tom jumped out of the window, leaving George Hogan and Jörg Hochman behind for a final fight between basic principles.

* * *

The morning sun warmed Hogans back as he was lying face first on the floor in the cooler. Hochstetter had finally left three hours ago and Hogan tried to regain some strength. Something inside him refused to give up hope and tried to survive and so he survived with it.

He raised his head when someone entered. Seeing his brother Georges face, he pushed himself upwards, ignoring the throbbing pain in all his muscles.

"Good morning Colonel.".

Hogan glared at him. The events of the past night had done nothing to increase his feelings for his brother. His voice was cold when he said: "What do you want, George?".

When hearing this voice, George Hogan wept again inside the German general. But Jörg Hochman remained as he was and replied. "I could save you, Colonel.".

Hogan shook his head. "You can´t".

"I remember you saying that there is always a way back.".

"Not this time.".


	8. Here I am

Thanks for the reviews! I hope you like the rest of the story as well ;-)

* * *

"The Gestapo could be gone within a few minutes, Colonel.". Jörg Hochman surveyed his brother closely as the latter tried to push himself upwards against the wall. When he was finally standing in front of him, he again said:

"I could make them leave.".

Hogan looked at him, not sure what to expect. Was this another attempt to get him on the German side? Or had George finally seen that he was doing the wrong thing?

"What do you want?".

A smile twitched in the corner of Hochmans mouth as he said: "Stop the sabotage, immediately-". He could not finish his sentence, because Hogan said angrily:

"I will never!". Hochman gestured with his hands, that Hogan must remain silent.

"After the sabotage has stopped, one of the men in this camp will escape. He will be found by my men, carrying explosives and busy wiring a bridge. We will then shoot him as Papa Bear. You can remain in Stalag 13, for the rest of the war, unharmed.".

Hogans eyes narrowed, anger vibrating in the air. "You think I would sacrifice one of my men?".

Hochman nodded, self satisfied. "Of course, who wouldn´t in exchange for his own life?"

Hogan shook his head sadly. "You´ve done this before, haven´t you?".

Gazing past Hogan, Hochman nodded. "Yes, I did.".

Then, gazing directly into his brothers eyes, he sneered. "Think about it, you´ve got until tomorrow, otherwise you are going to be the one shot as Papa Bear!".

* * *

The door slammed shut and Hogan was alone. In this dark cell, he could find no comfort against the feelings of dread that made his head spin. His brother had turned into a monster or was it just an egoist?

What was there behind this sudden change? Hogan could recall the boy George had been, sporty, lively. He had enjoyed basketball and football. But then, they had moved to Germany, after their father died. Since then, George was more closed up, than he had been before, still he had cared about his family.

Rob recalled the scene in the hall, just before George left for the army. He had promised to protect them, forever. Could the war change people like this?

He rolled himself together in a corner of the room, pain throbbing through his body, but it was more than the physical pain. He could deal with that, he knew, but it was the pain caused by the fear and despair of what was about to come.

A stone was shoved aside and a smiling face entered the cooler. Green eyes twinkled at him and a mischievous grin told him, that Tom did not know about the recent events.

"Hi Rob, how are you?".

"I don´t know what to do any more.".

The green eyes peered at him. "He did not offer to release you?".

Rob sighed. "Yes, he did, but to what price.".

After hearing the whole story, Tom growled with anger. "I told him to- oops.". He clapped his hand against his mouth, but the words had not escaped Rob.

"You talked to him?".

Tom nodded. "I went to his bedroom last night and ehm persuaded him to talk to me.".

"He did not arrest you?".

Tom burst into laughter. "Of course not, I had some means of preventing him from doing so.".

"You threatened him?".

"Maybe.".

Rob pulled his brother towards him. "Tell me, honestly.".

Tom rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yes I did, big brother.". And then, irritated, "But I´m no six year old any more, Rob. I can care for myself now!".

Robs eyes twinkled. "I know, but still, I´ve got enough problems with one of my brothers. I don´t need another problem, involving my other brother being somewhere in a Gestapo prison!".

"So what are we going to do now?".

Suddenly, Robs face brightened with a big smile. "I´m going to accept Georges generous offer.".

After hearing the whole plan, Tom clapped him on his shoulder and grinned. "You´re surely mad, but it might work.".

* * *

"So you accept my offer, Colonel Hogan?". Hochman was standing in front of Hogan, with an I-knew-you-would-accept look on his face.

"Do I have any other choice?". Hogan tried to sound as angry as he should be feeling. However iside him, he laughed at the figure before him, who did not yet know what he was planning.

Hochman smiled pompously. "Very well, one of the men in this camp is going to be taken tonight and we will make sure he cooperates.".

"Who?".

"I thought that Sergeant would like a nice trip outside the camp, what´s he called again?".

Hogan shook his head. "If you don´t tell me which Sergeant I don´t know.".

Hochman grinned. "Don´t be so cocky, Colonel, you seem to care about him a lot. I thought he would be the ideal choice for this, nothing less would be suspected from someone as inferior as him, that he would try to sabotage the Third Reich.".

Hogan looked shocked. "Sergeant Kinchloe?".

"Yes, Colonel, he will serve our purpose well, he´s black, so not worth anything to us and he´s worth a lot to you. You can think about it for the rest of your life, how you sacrificed one of your men to save yourself!".

A hurt look appeared in Hogans eyes.

_So that´s what you wanted, George, not only let me stop sabotaging, no, ruining me altogether, make me feel guilty for the rest of my life. Where is the brother I knew?_

With a voice that drowned in anger, he said. "You made me do it.".

Jörg Hochman said no more. A superior smile on his face, he turned towards the door, to begin preparing the event for tonight.

* * *

As darkness fell over Stalag 13, a small group of guards approached Barracks Two. Minutes later, they reappeared, holding a struggling person. The little group opened the gates and vanished in a small truck. Jörg Hochman observed the departure through the window in the guest quarters. Heads would roll, tonight.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the camp, Hogan was not sleeping as he was supposed to be. He was waiting anxiously for one of his men to appear out of the tunnel and fill him in. After what seemed hours, Carter stuck his head out of the tunnel entrance.

"Colonel, Klink is moving towards the guest quarters. It seems, that he noticed that Kinch was taken away.".

Hogan nodded, thoughtfully. "Observe him, I want to know exactly what´s going on in there. What about LeBeau and Newkirk?".

"LeBeau´s on Strudel duty and Newkirk has got everything ready.".

"What about you?".

Carter rubbed his hands together and smiled mischievously. "Oh boy, those are going to be the best explosives we ever had!".

Hogan smiled at the enthousiastic Sergeant. "Good, you know the sign. I´ll join you later.".

* * *

In the guest quarters, Hochman was pacing, when Klink knocked at the door. "Come in.".

Klink walked inside. "General, I do not want to offend you, but your men left with one of my prisoners and-".

Hochman cut him off with a sharp movement of his hand. "Don´t bother Klink. He will not return, that´s all you need to know.".

"But General-".

Hochman sighed, before saying angrily: "Klink, this is none of your business, go to sleep. Everything will be explained later.".

Klink straightened up, before he began again: "General, I must protest. First you come in here, drag Colonel Hogan off into the Cooler and allow the Gestapo to have a field day with him. Then without reason, you drag of another one. I demand to know what´s going on!".

Hochman looked stunned at this sudden bravery of the coward he saw in the Kommandant, but he recovered amazingly fast and sneered: "Colonel Klink, I would advise you to ignore these things, or you may find yourself somewhere cold...".

Klinks bravery vanished with the same speed it had come and clicking his heels together, he backed away.

Soon after this, Hochman left Stalag 13, accompanied by his personal guards, who had returned from their journey. Suddenly, a chorus of _Fools Rush in_ echoed through the compound, cut off soon after by an angry growl from one of the guards towers.

Not long after this, a small black figure approached the Cooler, leaving minutes later without the Strudel he had been carrying. Another black figure jumped from the window and made his way towards the woods.

* * *

In the woods, Hogan and LeBeau jumped into the truck, which was handed them by a member of the Underground. Not much later, they were driving after their friends. Carter and Newkirk were already following Hochman, transmitting the coordinates of the places they passed to Hogan and LeBeau.

After a ten minute drive, Hogan slowed down the car and the two of them joined Carter and Newkirk, who were already waiting.

"What´s going on?", Hogan asked.

"Hochman arrived about five minutes ago. They are setting up the explosives and everything right now."

Hogan nodded. "Good, we´re here in time. Did you replace the explosives, Carter?".

Carter nodded eagerly.

"Then we get going.".

Newkirk held Hogan back. "Guv´nor, there´s something I got to tell you.".

"What?".

"Toms here as well. He´s over there observing the Krauts.".

Hogan sighed. _I could have known that he would join us. It´s too late now anyway to send him back._

"Don´t worry, Newkirk, let´s join Tom and then go."

* * *

In the meantime, Kinch was lying on the forest ground, his hands secured behind his back, while around him Hochmans three personal guards wired the bridge.

Hochman eyed them, satisfied. The loss of the life of this unknown prisoner did not matter to him, however it meant, that his brother was safe and that no more soldiers would die from Hogans sabotage actions.

He recalled the coldness in Hogans voice when he first proposed the plan.

_I had not thought that he would eventually agree, but miracles occur. _

As he strolled along the bridge, he gazed again at the tied up prisoner.

_If you knew, what important role you play for me. You are the reason that I can keep my promise to mom. _

Soon after, the guards reported that the bridge was wired. Hochman ordered Kinch to be placed beside it. Then, he approached him, drawing his gun.

* * *

Five gunshots echoed through the woods. One knocked Hochmans gun out of his hand. The other four took out the three guards.

Hochman gazed at his empty hand, where his gun had been, seconds before. Then he heard a voice coming from a figure that stepped out of the thick undergrowth.

"Hi George.".

Hochman looked straight into the brown eyes of his brother, not speaking.

"I thought I´d come along and prevent you from killing one of my men.".

Meanwhile, the other four emerged and Newkirk, grabbing the keys from one of the guards freed Kinch.

Hogan circled George, while the others remained at their positions. Staring hard at his elder brother he said: "I´m going to offer you the choice you gave me.".

"What choice?".

Hogan pointed at the surrounding forest, in the direction where Stalag 13 was. "A similar choice you gave me when I was in the Cooler. You can come back with us to Stalag 13 and will be sent to London as a prisoner of war, or we will leave you here, near your shot comrades and a blown up bridge, with maps from the local underground stuffed in the pockets of a black dress, usually used when one does not want to be seen in the dark, labelling you effectively as a spy.".

George did not hesitate to make his choice. Despite his reluctance to becoming a prisoner of war, he knew that he had not much of a choice and so he followed the group, back into the dark forest, while the bridge detonated behind them.

* * *

The next morning, at roll call, a muddled, dirty figure appeared at the front gate of Stalag 13. Schultz, immediately recognized Sergeant Kinchloe. The black Sergeant staggered towards Colonel Klink. Hogan blinked at him. _You know what to do._

When he reached the Kommandant, Kinch stammered "Colonel- it, General Hochman- he- the woods...", before collapsing at his feet.

Klink marched up to Hogan. "Colonel Hogan, what is going on around here! Prisoners vanish from my camp, prisoners are sent to the Cooler and a day later released by orders from General Burkhalter, because an important General has been found to be Papa Bear, bridges are blown up. What is going on?".

Hogan shrugged and looked at Klink innocently. "Honestly Kommandant, how could I know? I´ve been in the Cooler and only released this morning how could I possibly know anything?".

Klinks eyes narrowed, but he turned on his heels and devoted his attention to the black Sergeant who was waking up. "Schultz, bring Sergeant Kinchloe into my office!".

Hogan followed the pair into Klinks office. When Klink noticed him, he screamed: "Hogan! What are you doing here?".

Hogan drew a small booklet from his pocket and opened it. "According to the Geneva Convention, the senior POW of a POW camp is to be present when prisoners are interrogated.".

Klink made a dismissive gesture. "I know, Colonel Hogan but I am not planning to interrogate Sergeant Kinchloe, I only want to ask him some questions.".

Hogan dropped his hat onto Klinks desk and said: "I think asking questions actually goes under interrogation.".

Klink slammed his hand onto his desk. "HOGAN! You are dismissed, now or the whole camp will receive punishment!".

Hogan shrugged in defeat, "Well then, see you Kommandant." and left, after throwing Klink his casual salute.

Klink turned his attention on Sergeant Kinchloe.

"Sergeant, what happened last night?".

Kinch tried to look tired and merely said: "Hochman is Papa Bear, he tried to persuade me to work for him, I refused. He tried to shoot me, but I escaped. Soon after I heard an explosion. I walked all night, but culd find no shelter, so I returned.".

"Very well, Sergeant you may go.".

Klink remained in his office, thinking over the events of the past few days.

_Strange things have happened and something is not quite right._

Then he shrugged. Why would he care? Apparently Burkhalter believed the story, according to Colonel Hogans release this morning, so why wouldn´t he? It would only make his life difficult, if he didn´t.

* * *

On the outside, Stalag 13 went back to the normal routine. Prisoners played ball games in the yard, guards watched from their watchtowers.

Hogan gazed over the compound. All his men were engaged in the sports games, but he himself needed time to think. The danger was over, yet down in the tunnels, were his two brothers. He sighed, because he knew that he would have to confront George sooner or later and that he had to say goodbye to Tom once again.

When they went inside for lunch, Hogan told his men, that they would have a meeting in the tunnel tonight, to decide what would happen now.


	9. One window

Thanks for the reviews!

* * *

When Hogan and his men came down into the tunnel, they found only George, still sitting on the spot where they had left him the night before. Tom had been guarding him, or had been supposed to do so. Now however, he was nowhere to be seen. 

"Tom!". Hogans voice echoed through the empty tunnels, revealing no clue to where his brother might be hiding. Fiercely, Hogan turned towards George. "Where is he?".

George shrugged and said: "He left some time ago. Said he did not want to be sitting near me any more.".

Hogan sighed. Of course, this assignment must have been hard on Tom, but still, many lives were in danger, would George escape. He could not allow this slip in the procedure.

"Tom!", he bellowed again, but again only the echo of his own voice came back to him. "Guard him, I´ll go and look for Tom.".

With these words, Hogan vanished into the darkness of the tunnel. Deep inside him, he was happy about Tom not being there, it stalled time, time he did not want to spent in the presence of his elder brother, whose coldness and sudden outburst of Nazism threw him off balance and above all, hurt him more than he would ever admit, to himself and to others.

The end of the tunnel appeared in his field of vision and still, Tom was nowhere to be seen. Where was that boy?

Suddenly, a knife was pressed against his throat, so tight, that he could hardly breathe, let alone speak. He felt himself being dragged off toward the other end of the tunnel, towards his friends. In an attempt to loosen the grip on his throat, he tried to wrestle himself free, with the only result that he received a knock on the head and everything went dark.

* * *

He came to, when a burst of laughter erupted in his ears. His vision still blurred from the knock on the head, he tried to look around himself and discovered, that he was in the main part of the tunnel. Rubbing the back of his head, he straightened himself up and gripped the table to prevent himself from falling over at the sudden dizziness that overwhelmed him. 

"Anyone gonna tell me what´s so terribly funny?", he asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Kinch stepped up to him, barely keeping his laughter under control. "You see, sir. You found Tom...".

Hogans eyes widened in surprise. "I found him?".

"Yes, big brother and I thought you were some kind of enemy sneaking up on me, so...".

Hogan turned towards the voice and looked straight into Toms laughing face. "And what´s so funny about that?".

Tom reddened a bit, before continuing. "You see, I dragged you of towards the main tunnel and shouted for the guys to come and help me, because George had tried to escape. When they reached us, the said that George was still with them, so I figured...".

"That you had knocked out the one who was concerned about you and wanted to come and help you. Guess I learned my lesson, you can care for yourself.", Hogan said sarcastic,rubbing the tender spot on the back of his head.

"I´ll have you court martialed another day, I think, for now, we´ve got more important things to do.".

Hogan dropped himself on a chair. The others did the same. Only George was still sitting in the corner, apparently not taking in any of the events, staring blankly into space. His capture and the things he had seen underneath Stalag 13 had confused him and left him deeply lost in thought.

"We need to get our General out of here, fellas and you all know, London agreed on the condition that we send someone with him, to guard him.".

Suddenly, Toms eyes flashed aggressively. "Rob, I don´t know what you want, but I figure I´ve got an idea. You want to send me with him, don´t you? Well, that´s simple then, because I won´t go!".

"Guv´nor I ask permission to accompany the prisoner.". Newkirk said eagerly, "I need to visit me girlfriend, it´s ´er thirtieth birthday in eight months and I desperately need to be there.".

Hogan motioned him to remain silent, while he turned to Tom. "Why not?".

"I don´t want to be together with him any more! I don´t want to stay with him, I don´t want to accompany him and I don´t want to guard him! He- he - he would have killed us all, without sparing a thought. I think he would´ve even killed mom and dad if nut-brains had told him to do so!".

While these hard words echoed through the tunnel, George shifted in the corner, but did not indicate that he had even heard what had been said. He seemed to have gone totally lifeless, a body without a soul, a shell remaining on earth, while the person itself had gone.

Hogan nodded, but a stubborn look appeared in his eyes. London would reinstate the execution order, no doubt if he would fail to find someone to accompany George and he would not let that happen.

"So you´d rather leave him here until London sends us an execution order, because we failed to find someone to accompany him?".

Tom glared back at his brother, the same stubborn look in his eyes, although tears glittered through the hard look, making him look older than he was supposed to be.

"I can´t...". Tom whispered, but he did not continue. Instead he tried to say what he felt without words.

"I´ll go on my own.". A voice came out of the corner were George sat. Everybody turned. Hogan looked hard at him.

"No way, London said no, so we´ll send someone with you! Despite that, what are you going to try? Escape?".

George shook his head wearily. "It is too late, I´ll go back.".

"Back?".

"You said there was a way back, I´m ready to take it.".

Hogan stepped up to him, not quite sure if he could believe his brother. More than once, he had thought that George would maybe turn around, but every time he had been hurt, when his brother suddenly turned away from him. He was not going to be hurt again.

"Why now? You´ve done so much damage already. You could have decided this much earlier.".

George shook his head. "I was not ready.".

Tom jumped between the two, his eyes bright with rage, his voice sneering as he spoke: "And what are you going to try now? What is this? Can´t you be honest for once? Why the turn now? You endangered everybody here, you wanted to kill Rob!".

George shook his head again, his voice shaking as he said: "I never wanted to, I wouldn´t, I couldn´t. I wanted to save you tonight!".

Hogan sat down beside him, glaring into the darkness of the tunnel. "And to what price? You would´ve made me sacrifice one of my men and let me feel guilty afterwards, that was exactly your purpose!".

George laid his head in his hands. "I wanted you to be so down, you wouldn´t even think of fighting any more. You would´ve remained in this camp until the war was over, safe!".

Hogan looked at him. "Didn´t you realise that I could never stop fighting, that I never would sacrifice someone I could save?".

"I did not know, that this feeling existed.".

Suddenly, everybody fell silent. What had these last words meant? Finally, Rob whispered to his brother: "Which feeling?".

George looked at his brother, his eyes were red. All strength seemed to have left him. "I never knew that it was possible to entrust your life to other people, that it was possible to fight and keep fighting for what you believe in and that it was possible to have men put their lives in danger for you.".

An astonished silence fell over the tunnel. And all of them saw, how exceptional their unit was, how exceptional it was to trust each other in these times.

"But why did you call the Gestapo?".

"I thought that a night with them would suffice to persuade you to accept my offer. Don´t you see, I tried everything, I tried to persuade you myself to join us, I tried threatening you and they were my last, desperate attempt.".

Hogan smiled wanly. "Next time could you show your affection otherwise?".

George grinned weakly, but Hogan did not ease the tension between them. "How do I know that I can trust you?".

"I made a promise to mom.".

Again Tom dashed out of nowhere, angrier than before. "And what is that worth to you? You mingled with the Nazis, you tortured people to their deaths, you, you...".

"Yes, why did you do that? How could you?", Robs voice shook slightly as he remembered the stories George had told him on the first evening.

"They were mingling with the Underground, they were helping the English!".

Rob shrugged. "And what do you think we are doing?".

"I did not know.".

Rob grabbed his brother by the shoulder and turned his face towards him. "Does it make a difference when I do the same? Do you make a difference just because I am your brother?".

George shook his head. "The Underground in that area, they sometimes bombed civil houses, they sometimes targeted civilians, without reason, that is not fair, they are innocent.".

"Hoe many innocent people in London are and were killed in your Blitz? How many innocent people die at the hands of the SS? Why do you hate the allies, George?".

George made a dismissive hand gesture, without looking at his brother. "I don´want to talk about it.".

Hogan turned him forcefully towards himself. "Yes you want to.".

When George looked back at him, tears suddenly filling in his eyes. His voice was so quiet, Hogan had difficulty understanding him.

"My wife, my son were killed in a bombing raid. Another bomb hit the airfield. My comrades and I were sleeping when the bombs came down. Our building was hit, but I survived. Everybody was dead, the dead were everywhere. When I arrived in the city, I couldn´t find our house. It had gone. The neighbours told me that my family was dead, gone, just like that!".

And finally, he could cry. The tears he had been hiding for all those years now streamed down his face and fell upon the tunnel floor.

Robs voice was barely a whisper, when he said: "What city?".

A muffled voice said: "Hamburg.".

Horror stricken, Hogan asked: "When?".

"The night you were shot down.".

Nobody spoke for a long time. Hogans stomach turned, when he recalled that night. The cries of his crew still ringed in his ears, but now to add to the dread he realised that it might had been his plane that had killed his brothers family.

He whispered. "I´m sorry.".

George looked up at him. "That night I thought I´d lost you as well." and then he said almost in a whisper: "Rob, I´m so sorry.".

A wide grin, stretched over Hogans face. "You actually know my first name..."

The two brothers found themselves in a rib cracking hug, when Tom dashed towards them and pulled around them. That night, Jörg Hochman vanished forever, with only George Hogan left behind.

* * *

Hogans gaze swiped the compound, three months after these events. Tom and George had left more than two months before, together, but not as one guarding the other. Both had been picked up by the plane as pilots, who´d been shot down. Nobody knew, that General Jörg Hochman was still alive. 

They had forged George new identity papers and radioed London that Hochman had accidentally been killed when they tried to capture him. They had actually been pleased that this problem was solved. Tom and George had left via the normal route.

Hogan looked at the letter he held in his hand. Tom and George had arrived safely in the States, where George had now joined the AirForce as a private.

A small smile played over Hogans face. There was a way back, always. He gazed up at the sky, where a bomber squadron made its way back home.

_Maybe what I´m doing now is better than what I did before, at least I know for sure where my bombs end up._

Absent-mindedly, he doodled an image on the letter. When he looked at it, he smiled. It was the house with the five windows.

_One window, for each Hogan._

_**The End** _


End file.
